THE FOREIGN-BORN POPULATION
In 1990 immigrants made up 2% of Iowa’s total population. That percentage grew to 3% in 2000, and to 5% in 2010.


REFUGEES IN IOWA



UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION
The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that the proportion of undocumented immigrants, as a share of the total population of Iowa, has increased 200% between 1990 and 2010, though the proportion of undocumented persons remains very small. The source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau’s March Current Population Surveys.” It is important to emphasize that these numbers are only broad estimates. The actual numbers may be quite different. The figure below compares the estimated percent of the total population that is undocumented in Iowa among the 12 Midwestern states and the United States.
MARITAL STATUS
In Iowa, and across the region, in 2010 a larger percentage of immigrants (58%) than US-born residents (54%) were currently married. Not surprisingly, the total household size of the foreign-born was also larger—3.4 individuals, compared with 2.5 for the native-born. Household members can be either relatives, or unrelated individuals.
Immigration History
Assimilation
EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
The general public often perceives immigrants to be concentrated in low-level jobs, but in actuality immigrant workers are fairly well dispersed across the skills spectrum; the most rapid growth in the employment of immigrants since 2000 has been in middle-skilled jobs that require more than a high school diploma, but less than a college degree. However the greatest increase in projected numbers of new jobs are in those that require low-levels of education and training. Between 1990 and 2006 the share of immigrant workers in each of the four employment sectors increased dramatically and outpaced the increase in native-born workers’ jobs in rate of increase, but not in absolute numbers, with the exception of construction. Median earnings for the foreign-born and native-born in Iowa are shown below for 2010, and then median earnings of the foreign-born are further stratified by period of entry. It can be noted that the foreign-born who arrived in the earlier waves before 1990, or between 1990 and 2000, have higher median earnings than those who have arrived more recently.POVERTY
In 2006 46% of foreign-born workers earned “family-sustaining wages,” compared to 59% of native-born workers. The percentages of foreign-born and native-born living below 100% of the Poverty Level in Iowa are shown below for 2010.


HOME OWNERSHIP
Asians and Hispanics/Latinos have rates of home ownership that are similar to those in other Midwest states. In the 2007 American Community Survey, the percentage of all Hispanics (foreign-born and native-born) who were homeowners was 35%. Of the entire Asian population in Iowa, 55% were homeowners.EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Immigrants in Iowa, and throughout the Midwest, had both higher and lower levels of education than native-born residents in 2010. By this we mean that they were both much more likely to have less than a high school diploma, and slightly more likely to have a graduate or professional degree. Educational attainment is a very important dimension of integration, as it is strongly related to other dimensions of integration such as income and English language proficiency. Nationally and in the Midwest, the children of immigrants tend to achieve higher levels of education than their parents, although Caucasian and Asian youth go further in school than do Hispanics (or African Americans, few of whom are foreign-born).



ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
English Proficiency is collected by self-report in the Census and American Community Survey. Respondents can respond that they do not speak English, speak English only, or speak another language in addition to English. This final group is then divided further as they indicate how well they speak English as either “Very well,” “Well,” or “Not well.” The chart below compares English Proficiency in the foreign-born population, showing the percent of the foreign-born who identified themselves as speaking English “Well,” “Very Well,” or as their native/only language. There was a slight increase in the percentage of those speaking English well or better from 2000 to 2010 that is not significant; small levels of change may be due to sampling error; larger differences are likely be due to a combination of English language learning by foreign-born over time and higher English proficiency levels of more recent immigrants.





NATURALIZATION AND VOTING PATTERNS
One of the clearest measures of integration is the rate at which immigrants become naturalized citizens of the United States. Naturalization not only means becoming an American citizen, but generally also requires a modest demonstration of knowledge of American civics, history basic English language skills. In Iowa, 37% of all immigrants were naturalized citizens in 2010. Of immigrants in Iowa who entered the United States before 1980, 80% were citizens in 2009, the similar to the national average (79%). Not surprisingly, immigrants who have been in the country the longest are most likely to naturalize.

INTERMARRIAGE
Tomas Jiminez explained the value of intermarriage as an indication of integration by saying, “When individuals marry each other without regard to ethno-racial or national origin, it indicates that the social boundaries between groups are highly permeable.” Jiminez also highlighted the interconnection of various integration measures by pointing out that intermarriage rates are determined, in part, by English language acquisition and socioeconomic status, which shape opportunities to interact with those of different ethnic or national origins. Data on inter-marriages between immigrants and native-born residents is not available, but between 2008 and 2010, 10% of all marriages in Iowa were interracial or interethnic. While lower than the national average of 15%, this figure is nearly equal to the Midwest.
Receptivity
SUMMARY
The Iowa legislature has passed seven immigration-related laws since 2008, including the expansion of SCHIP health insurance to cover the children of undocumented immigrants. The governor has prevented some restrictive laws from being implemented. Examples of recent legislation are outlined below.ENACTED
2010 – Employment Practices and Public Safety (IA S 2181). Employers are required to keep a work permit on file for all migrant laborers. 2010 – Appropriations (IA H 2522). Employment eligibility: All vendors who receive public money are required to employ only US citizens or authorized workers. Also included are appropriations for various state agencies and the Department of Work Force Development to create one-stop services for immigration and employment issues. 2009 – Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (IA S 340). The immigration documents of sex offenders must be registered with the state. 2009 – Department of Transportation Administrative Procedures (IA S 356). Immigration status of foreign nationals must be verified when issuing a drivers license.OTHER LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS
According to the National Council of La Raza, an Arizona-style law enforcement bill was introduced in Iowa in 2011, but was rejected or refused consideration. 2011 – Public Funding and the Tax Relief Fund (IA H 45). This law was passed by the state legislature, but line-item vetoed by the governor. It would have prohibited adults who are unlawfully present in the US from receiving public benefits. 2009 – Appropriations (IA S 469). This law was passed by the state legislature, but line-item vetoed by the governor. It would have prohibited unauthorized workers or residents from receiving development assistance.Labor Force Data




